Drakon Algorithmic Language
What is Drakon?
Drakon is a visual language for representing algorithms and processes. Drakon is similar to flowcharts. The difference lies in its rules, which make diagrams easier to read.
Origin of the Drakon Language
Drakon was conceived as a language for technical specifications in the aerospace industry. It was first applied during the development of the “Buran” spacecraft.
The main problem in creating control systems for spacecraft was their high complexity.
Because of this complexity, a gap arose between engineers and programmers. Engineers could not clearly explain the required behavior of aircraft to programmers.
Drakon solved this problem by becoming a communication language between domain experts and programmers.
Over time, Drakon expanded beyond information technology. Doctors adopted it to describe medical procedures, and managers used it for business processes.
Elimination of Visual Noise
Reading diagrams is hindered by visual noise—unnecessary graphical elements that distract attention and carry no meaning.
The rules of Drakon remove everything unnecessary from a diagram—visual noise is reduced to zero.
Instead of arrows, for example, simple lines are used. Arrows are not needed in Drakon because elements follow one another from top to bottom. Why draw arrows if they only point downward?
Another example is reducing the number of turns and bends in lines. Every change in direction creates tension for the reader. Therefore, Drakon minimizes bends, and the most expected path through the algorithm (“happy path”) goes straight.
Line crossings are forbidden in Drakon—a major problem in traditional flowcharts.
These and other rules form a recognizable and strict Drakon diagram style.
Uniformity Makes Understanding Easier
Drakon organizes flowcharts and introduces uniformity. The start is always at the top left, execution flows from top to bottom, and branching goes only to the right. This predictability helps the reader.
Each unstructured flowchart, on the other hand, has its own unique structure that must be discovered and understood. This takes time.
With Drakon, this problem does not exist, because all Drakon diagrams share a similar structure. When reading a diagram, you can immediately focus on the algorithm itself.
New Capabilities
Drakon provides expressive features that are not available in other notations.
- Silhouette divides a large algorithm into several logical parts. It applies the “divide and conquer” principle to complex real-world algorithms.
- The “the further right, the worse” rule sorts paths through the algorithm from left to right based on their success. The most successful path goes straight on the left. The least successful path bends and goes along the right side.
Why Use a Drakon Diagram Editor?
Drakon diagrams can be drawn in any graphical software. You can even draw them by hand on paper. However, it is more convenient to use a specialized tool such as DrakonHub.
First, DrakonHub “knows” the rules of Drakon and enforces them. Your diagrams will automatically follow the language rules.
Second, creating diagrams in DrakonHub is faster than in general-purpose editors. Each mouse click performs more actions.
Third, editing existing diagrams in DrakonHub is also fast. It helps keep diagrams up to date.
Conclusions
- Drakon is an algorithmic language designed for human readability.
- It was developed in the aerospace industry for technical specifications but is now used in other fields as well.
- Drakon promotes visual clarity in diagrams.
- Drakon diagrams have a uniform structure, making them easy to read.
- Drakon includes expressive features not found in other languages, such as the silhouette.
- The fastest way to create Drakon diagrams is with specialized editors.
See also: Drakon Language in Simple Examples